SRH vs MI: Abhishek Sharma outpaces teammate Travis Head's fastest IPL 2024 fifty record in same match

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Hyderabad, March 27: Young Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Abhishek Sharma outpaced his teammate Travis Head's record for the fastest fifty in IPL 2024 during the same match against Mumbai Indians on Wednesday (March 27).

During their first home game of the season at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Sharma, a left-handed top-order batsman, smashed a fifty in just 16 balls, which is the fourth fastest in the history of the tournament.

Travis Head, a star Australian batsman, achieved the fastest half-century in IPL 2024 during the Sunrisers Hyderabad versus Mumbai Indians match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

In his debut appearance for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Head - who was named the player of the match in the ODI World Cup 2023 final against India - blasted his half-century in just 18 balls, showcasing his explosive batting prowess.

He eclipsed the previous record set by fellow Australian David Warner, whose fastest half-century in the tournament came off 20 balls against Chennai Super Kings in 2015. The title of the fastest IPL fifty by an overseas player still belongs to Head's current international and IPL captain, Pat Cummins.

Cummins achieved a 14-ball fifty against the same opponents, Mumbai Indians, during the IPL 2022 season, although he was representing Kolkata Knight Riders at the time.

Head's outstanding performance in his debut match of the season propelled SRH to a formidable score of 81 runs for the loss of just one wicket within the first six overs, marking the highest powerplay total of the IPL 2024 season. Sunrisers reached the 100-run mark on the final ball of the seventh over against MI.

Head's aggressive innings concluded on 62 off 24 balls in the eighth over of the match when Naman Dhir took a catch in the deep off Gerald Coetzee's delivery.

Here are the fastest IPL fifties against Mumbai Indians (by balls taken):

1. 14 balls: Pat Cummins (KKR) - Pune, 2022
2. 16 balls: Abhishek Sharma (SRH) - Hyderabad, 2024
3. 18 balls: Rishabh Pant (DC) - Mumbai WS, 2018
4. 18 balls: Travis Head (SRH) - Hyderabad, 2024
5. 19 balls: Ajinkya Rahane (CSK) - Mumbai WS, 2023